"You came." Astral is so relieved to see Luke Skywalker that the words slip out before she can stop them. She and her secret stepson are once again standing amid the dim, refuse-ridden remains of Jedi Master Kenobi's home taking shelter from the Tatooine twin suns.
Luke nods. Then, he confesses, "I almost didn't. I'm not really sure why I'm here."
"I'm glad you're here," Astral smiles to reassure him. Luke looks more nervous than she feels. He keeps shifting his weight and his expression strikes her as both haunted and hunted. He seems hyper alert. Ready to flee. Maybe ready to kill. He's wearing a blaster strapped on his thigh and he's got his new lightsaber hanging at his waist.
"You're alone," he announces.
Does the Force tell him that? Astral immediately confirms, "Yes." Suspecting the concern that prompted the comment, she hastens to explain, "He wanted to come, but I wouldn't let him."
The 'he,' of course, is Darth Vader.
"So he knows we're meeting?"
"Yes." Like last time, Astral's policy will be full disclosure. This kid has been lied to enough already.
"Why did you tell him?" Luke's blue eyes narrow with suspicion.
"I didn't tell him. He found out. He has me watched a lot." And wait—that came out wrong. Like she's some stalked prisoner wife, which she's not. All in all, Astral has remarkable freedom as a private citizen given who her husband is. So she's willing to put up with her surveillance to keep it.
The young Rebel looks away at her answer. Just the reference to Lord Vader stresses him out apparently. "Should I be leaving? Is there an ambush coming?"
Astral frowns and grumbles, "There had better not be . . ."
"Well, is there?" he demands testily.
"We're fine. He's fine with this. He was initially angry that I went behind his back to see you, that's all. He's fine with us meeting today."
"He's not a guy to anger," Luke observes under his breath.
"Yes, I know," she commiserates. She's trying to build a rapport with this angry stranger who is her stepson. Astral now sheepishly admits, "He had me arrested at the opera for last time."
"Really?" Luke looks up sharply. "Well, I guess that sounds like him."
She shrugs it off. "That's just your father being your father. He wanted to make a point."
"Is that what my hand was about? Him making a point?"
"No," she answers quickly. "That was an accident."
"It was not—"
"It was an accident!" she insists. "You injured his sword arm and it made him less accurate. Luke, he never meant to hurt you. He was very upset at himself for hurting you . . . especially in that way. No one knows the pain of an amputation like your father," she laments.
Luke looks unconvinced.
She tries again. "Look, what he says and what he does are not always what he intends." Lord Vader doesn't have the best emotional intelligence. That blank mask doesn't help matters. It really impedes a human connection with the man inside.
Luke says nothing, but his face betrays his skepticism. He's so jumpy that it fuels her own nervousness.
Astral finds herself babbling now. "His shoulder has healed. It will blend in with the rest of the scars one day. Thankfully, his armor bore the brunt of the burn . . . "
More silence from Luke.
"There's no lasting damage. He's fine . . . in case you were wondering . . ." she finishes awkwardly.
But from the look on his face, Luke clearly wasn't concerned. There's no pretense that the wound he inflicted was an accident. There's no apology forthcoming either, she notes.
For a moment, Astral wonders if Luke wishes he had killed his father at Bespin, if only to preempt this untenable situation of family members fighting on opposite sides of a war. Fearing that is in fact the case, Astral quickly becomes her husband's best character witness. She has to convince this young man to look past Darth Vader's misdeeds and missteps. Because when father and son finally meet again, she doesn't want anyone dying.
And so, she argues, "Your father is the toughest man in the galaxy. Sometimes, it's like he's made of steel. Well, some parts of him are," she grimaces at her unfortunate phrasing. "But that's Darth Vader on the outside, not on the inside. He's a good man—"
"I don't want to hear this." Luke cuts her off.
"Why not?"
He takes offense at her question. "Why not?" Luke hisses. "Because the 'Darth Vader is really a good guy' scam falls a little flat with me. I'm here to help my friend he encased in carbonite and gave to a Hutt, remember? That's not good guy behavior," he mutters. "It was cruel."
Astral takes the reprimand. She doesn't have an explanation for what happened with the smuggler other than that Darth Vader was keeping his deal with the bounty hunter he hired. So, searching for a safer topic, she asks, "Are you going to be able to rescue him?"
"We've got a plan."
"Good." Luke doesn't look inclined to elaborate and Astral doesn't ask for details.
Now, they are back to eyeing one another in tense silence. Since small talk has failed, Astral decides to skip the words and to speak with actions. She was hoping to lay more predicate for the big Death Star reveal, but she worries that if she doesn't act fast, Luke will leave and she'll lose her opportunity. Already, it feels like this second meeting is deteriorating far quicker than the first one. So, Astral rallies and plunges ahead with her most treasonable action to date: passing top secret information to an enemy Rebel commander.
"I have more information for you," she begins. "Your father didn't come, but he has authorized me to tell you—"
"He sent a message?" the boy interrupts. Does he look hopeful? Surprised? Scared? She's not sure. "Wait—he sent you with a message?"
"I'm supposed to tell you that they're building another Death Star."
"Oh, fuck," Luke Skywalker swears under his breath. His vulgarity strikes Astral as very atypical behavior. She senses that when this kid is profane—like the rare occasions when Darth Vader curses—it really merits the colorful language. Luke's mouth settles into a grim line. "We feared as much. But we couldn't be sure."
"It's way behind schedule. That's thanks to your father," Astral explains. "He can't stop the weapon but he can slow it down. That's what Darth Vader does—behind the Emperor's back, he tries to make things better. Less harsh. On camera and to everyone in person, he's ruthless Lord Vader. That's how he gets away with it."
Luke disagrees. "It's not an act. He is ruthless. I've seen it myself."
"He can be," she concedes. "But mixed in there are quiet acts of mercy and goodness now and then. You have to know to look or you miss them."
Luke all but rolls his eyes at this assertion. "I don't believe it."
"Believe it, because this is one of those times. He will leak the information on the Death Star to the Rebellion through the Bothan spy network. It needs to look like the plans were stolen again. Lord Vader needs plausible deniability for when you blow it up."
"What's his angle?" Luke counters coolly. "Why is he really doing this? Is it a trap?"
She shakes her head. "He's helping you and getting himself out of a jam. The Emperor just put him in charge of the project. That means he has to show results. He can't create more delays since it's his job to get the station finished. It's why he needs the Rebellion to take it out for him."
Luke cocks his head at Astral and squints. "Let me get this straight—Darth Vader wants us to blow up the Emperor's new Death Star?" Finally, it seems, Luke Skywalker has been surprised in a good way.
Astral nods emphatically. "Yes!" And is he getting this? Does he appreciate what his father is doing? "Luke, this is your chance to work together with him for the common good." She adds, "I'm from Alderaan. I hate that weapon more than anyone. I want it destroyed too."
Luke is still struggling to understand. "So, he's doing this for you?"
"He's doing it for all of us. To rid the galaxy of superweapons and to make the Force more balanced. Sheev Palpatine has gone off the deep end into Darkness. With rituals and seances and creepy occult stuff designed to make himself immortal. Your father says that the Emperor is half insane from all those spells. Dark power has corrupted his mind. He's twisted and evil now."
"Isn't that the point of the Dark Side?" Luke goads.
Astral stays on message. She's not here to talk about the Force. "You'll get the precise coordinates to the Death Star project and the information about the energy shield that protects it. He will give you a window of time to launch an offensive. He may even be able to disable the shield generator for your attack . . . it just depends . . ."
What she's saying is finally beginning to sink in. Luke looks equal parts pleased and aghast. "He really did oppose the first one . . ."
"Yes! And he almost died for it." Astral now beseeches her Jedi stepson, "There is good in your father. He has a conscience. The Emperor hasn't driven it fully away." This kid needs to see that Darth Vader is not a monster. He's a man stuck in a thankless job he hates and can't quit. Trapped in a life he never really wanted in the first place.
"When do we get this information?"
"I'm not sure. It has to go through the proper channels to make it look like it was leaked from a low-level source."
"But this is legit?" Luke wants to know. "It's not a trap to get the Rebel fleet amassed in a single spot to finish us off?"
"This is real," Astral assures him. "This is high treason and we'll all die for it if Sheev learns. We're taking an awful risk here." This had better work, Astral thinks to herself. "Luke, this is the chance for the Skywalker family to work together to make things better. Please give your father another chance. He's not the man you fear he is."
"He has surprised me in this," Luke admits, but he won't go farther.
Encouraged, Astral plunges forward with the second big reveal she has planned. It's the news Lord Vader doesn't know and wouldn't approve of at all. But Astral didn't feel that she could say no when the issue was raised by Snoke.
She begins tentatively. "Your father isn't here, but there is someone else from his family who is. He'd like to meet you, if you are willing."
Does Luke sense her hesitation? His pale blue eyes drill into Astral. "Who is it?"
How does she answer that question? Astral settles on, "I guess you could say he's your paternal grandfather."
Luke doesn't like her equivocation. "You guess?" he challenges.
"He can explain it to you better than I can." Astral feels way out of her league when it comes to matters of the Force. "The relationship is . . . complicated."
"You said Vader was a slave boy here on Tatooine."
"That's true. He grew up with his mother until the Jedi found him. But Lord Vader has a father . . . sort of. . . " Again, she is vague.
"Who is this guy?"
"He lives in exile in the Unknown Regions. He and Sheev Palpatine are longtime enemies."
She's not trying to be cryptic, but clearly she has succeeded. "Is this one of those 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend' pitches?"
Kind of. "There's not anyone who dislikes the Emperor more than your grandfather," Astral answers frankly. "Your grandfather is where you and your father got your Force from."
"He's a Jedi?" the boy asks hopefully.
She frowns. "Not exactly."
"Well, he's not Sith. There are only ever two Sith. A Master and his Apprentice."
"I'll let him explain," Astral punts weakly. "I'm not sure if he has a label for what he is currently."
"But he's a Skywalker too?"
She nods. "Like I told you, there are more of us." And now, she admits, "Your father doesn't know that he's here. Lord Vader probably wouldn't want you to meet him. You should know that your father and your grandfather don't get along that well . . ."
Luke grimaces and unwittingly deploys his father's trademark sarcasm. "I think I like him already."
"Then, will you meet him? He's on a ship in a docking bay at Mos Eisley." She assures Luke, "There is no danger. He is the last person who would ever sell you out to the Empire. And," she recalls belatedly what Lord Vader once told her, "I believe that your grandfather is a financial backer for the Rebellion."
Luke gapes. "You're kidding me, right? Darth Vader's dad backs the Alliance?"
Astral grins sheepishly at the ridiculousness of that true statement. "Is that any stranger than Darth Vader's son blowing up the Death Star? We're a complicated family."
Luke nods slowly. "I'm beginning to see that."
"Will you come?" Astral sees the wisdom of Luke meeting Snoke now. Because she can't seem to get through to this kid and Darth Vader clearly can't. Maybe a third person is what they need to break through Luke's fearful stubbornness.
Her Jedi stepson looks dubious, but he nods. He hops on a speeder bike stashed around the rear of the hut while Astral climbs into her speeder. Then, they both take off for Mos Eisley.
An hour later, they arrive at what passes for civilization on Tatooine. The local spaceport isn't much for creature comforts. Like the rest of this poor planet, it is strictly utilitarian in design. Still, Docking Bay 94 seems especially dingy to Astral's eyes. Right now, it is empty save for a nondescript cargo shuttle that has seen better days. The shuttle ramp deploys as Astral and Luke pull up. Down the walkway plods the exceedingly tall, heavily cloaked and hooded figure of Snoke with his characteristic twisted limp.
Luke looks questioningly to her as he swings off his bike. Astral nods. "That's him. That's your grandfather."
Snoke awaits them as they walk up. He stands tall and stately, like this is a formal audience and he is receiving them in a throne room instead of a sandy docking bay that reeks of hyperfuel and urine. Notwithstanding the setting, Snoke is as smooth as always. Nothing phases the man. Astral can't help but admire his confidence. She knows how much he has hoped for this meeting. But if he's nervous, it doesn't show.
"This is a surprise to be sure, but a welcome one. Well done, Astral," Snoke commends in the gravely baritone that is the equal of his son's masked and amplified rasp.
"Thank you, my Lord," she nods respectfully.
At her side, Luke repeats the honorific under his breath. "My Lord . . ."
"Come closer." Even here in the middle of nowhere, Snoke projects an air of princely command. But Astral can't help but notice how Sith he appears. The hood . . . the mysterious face . . . the slow menacing drawl . . . the imposing stature. It's all quintessentially Darth Plagueis. But it's not going to endear his Jedi grandson, Astral suspects.
Sure enough, Luke lags back. He's staring—well, maybe it's glaring—at the giant man swathed in flowing black with an alien scarred face that is mostly hidden.
"Closer, I said." Snoke beckons him forward again.
But Luke stands his ground. He looks very pale suddenly. The young man was jumpy before, but now he looks like he's facing imminent execution.
Snoke does not insist. Instead, he announces with great relish, "Welcome, young Skywalker. Long have I waited to meet you." And this is true, Astral knows. She's seen the years of surveillance photos Snoke amassed during his grandson's formative years. "The prodigal son returns at last," the old Muun intones with undisguised pleasure. "Glory be to the Force for your deliverance."
Luke Skywalker's determined poker face gives nothing away. "Who are you?" he asks with a distinct edge to his tone. And thus begins the hostile dance of posturing that accompanies the meeting of two heavyweights of the Force. Astral looks on as hapless bystander to this unlikely family reunion.
"I am the man with the answers you seek and the knowledge you need," Snoke proclaims. As intended, it's a wholly dissatisfying response. Luke is being toyed with and he knows it.
"Who are you?" he demands again. Louder this time. More impatient. "Who are you really?"
Snoke smiles indulgently at this nervous bravado. It's like he's enjoying it. Astral watches as the towering Muun reaches up to toss back his hood. It's a casually elegant gesture that reveals his battered visage in full. Astral has seen Snoke's ruined face many times, but it's still a lot to take in for pure shock value. He's got a hole in one cheek and an ear that is missing. His skin is thin and pinkish grey, more corpselike than living. These are the marks not of time but of violence. Like Lord Vader's scars, Astral endeavors not to dwell on them. For the suffering they bear testament to is uncomfortable to contemplate.
When the young Jedi has looked his fill and the silence has become deafening, the wily Muun introduces himself. Of all the aliases he can choose from, he selects the one most likely to provoke conflict. "I am Darth Plagueis the Wise," he proclaims with pride, "Dark Lord of the Sith, Apprentice to Tenebrous and Master to Sidious. Father in the Force to your father Anakin Skywalker."
The full minute of quiet that follows that news is uncomfortable. No one says anything. No one does anything. Still, the tension between their trio ratchets up significantly.
Luke Skywalker seems uncertain how to proceed. But he rallies and accuses: "You're a Sith!" Luke whirls on her standing closest to him. "You brought me to a Sith?" he snarls.
Luke reaches a hand for his sword but Snoke waves his own hand and does something in the Force. Immediately, the young man is frozen midmovement. His eyes bulge and he appears to strain to break free from an unseen paralysis. But Darth Plagueis is clearly dominant.
"You are aggressive, I see. Like your father. You have hate, you have anger . . . like a Skywalker should," Snoke observes with almost clinical detachment. He sounds pleased. "That's the Dark Side in you, Jedi. You will never walk wholly in the Light. Darkness is born into you. It's your birthright."
Wary Astral looks from one man to the other as Snoke lets the situation linger. Astral is no fool—she recognizes that old Darth Plagueis is establishing the pecking order. But too much Force machismo will impede things, she fears. This sort of masculine posing can escalate fast and before you know it, someone's missing a hand.
"Are you hurting him? Please don't hurt him—"
"He's fine. Look, how he struggles. Rage against me now. Good . . . goooood." Snoke says the word like it's six syllables. He's chewing the scenery as he plays the part of consummate Force villain. "Indeed, you are powerful, like your father promised me."
Has he made his point? Is the test over? Astral is about to intervene when Snoke speaks again. This time, it's a warning for his grandson. "Do not dare draw your sword. There is no danger and there is a lady present. Mind your manners, Padawan."
Snoke waves his hand again and Luke Skywalker now regains control of his body. The kid is seething as he glares alternately at her and Snoke.
"I'm sorry about that," Astral hastens to make amends. She's annoyed at her father-in-law. His approach isn't helping matters. In fact, it might be worse than Darth Vader's duel. Still, this conversation is crucial, Astral knows. As Lady Vader, she can speak with authority to Luke about his father and the Skywalker family. But she's not qualified to address the Force. Only his father and grandfather can do that.
"What do you want?" Luke Skywalker spits the words out. His jaw is flared and his posture is rigid. Righteous contempt is written across his expression.
"I want everything," Snoke blithely boasts. It earns him another irked look from Astral. With answers like that, Darth Plagueis is doing nothing to reassure Luke of his good intentions. "In return, I can give you everything. You can be the hero for the ages," the old Muun promises. "The man with the courage and the talent to bring lasting peace to the galaxy."
Luke's reply is unequivocal. "I told Vader I wouldn't join him. I'm telling you now I won't join you . . . whoever you are . . . "
"I am Darth Plagueis the Wise."
"Never heard of you," Luke shoots back peevishly.
Snoke scowls and complains, "Kids today . . . They don't teach you anything at Jedi school, do they?"
"Luke, wait—" Astral inserts herself as her stepson turns on heel to leave.
Snoke scoffs, "Young fool."
"Luke, please—" she tries again.
"Do you wish to leave?" Snoke challenges his fast fleeing grandson. "Because you are free to go. But you cannot escape your destiny any more than your father can avoid his fate." He wags a spindly clawed finger at Luke. "I know how this ends. I have foreseen it. So let's omit the refusals and make things more efficient."
Astral watches as Luke turns and gulps. It's clear he's intimidated by talk of Force premonitions. Still, he counters softly, "The future is always in motion."
Snoke smirks. "Perhaps for a novice like yourself. I have watched you a long time. Waiting for you to grow up. Wondering if I should intervene. Fearing all along that I would lose you like I lost your father. One of the greatest regrets of my life is what happened to your father. Darth Vader has lived a miserable life." Snoke's eyes slant to find Astral now. "I understand that Astral has told you a bit about your father's past. Did you listen to her?"
"I heard what she said."
"That's not the same as listening," Snoke chides.
Luke makes no reply. He just shifts his weight uncomfortably. But at least he's stopped trying to leave.
Snoke stays on the topic of Darth Vader. "Do not judge your father too harshly. He has many fine qualities for a warrior. He is cunning, ruthless, and an excellent battle tactician. There is much to learn from his example. But Darth Vader is a man of action and not of words." The Muun slants an apologetic glance over at the young Jedi. "Let us agree that persuasion is not Lord Vader's strong suit. That clumsy business at Bespin was regrettable in the extreme. I have expressed my displeasure to your father. Did I not, Astral?"
She dutifully pipes up, "You did."
"It's not the first time your father has screwed something up, and it won't be the last time," Snoke gibes. "At least you landed a blow. He deserved that. Now then," the Sith switches gears. "I know that Master Yoda teaches you. Your father is upset about it, but on the whole, I approve. Learn the Light first. Then, your father and I will teach you Darkness. We will make a Skywalker out of you in due time. Once day, you'll make us proud, Luke."
"I'll never join you!" the young man hisses, like he's rebuking the devil. From the ugly vehemence on his face, Astral can only imagine this is a version of the rejection her husband received at Bespin.
Snoke is undeterred. "You will. I have foreseen it." The Muun takes bold steps forward as he surveys his much smaller grandson with approval. "You aren't big, but you could be a giant of the Force. In you, I see what all masters live to see," the exiled Sith crows. "Raw, untamed power. And beyond that, something truly special-the potential of your bloodline. Luke, you are the spawn of Vader, the heir apparent to the son of the Force, the successor to the man who is both the Jedi Chosen One and the Sith messiah—"
"My Lord!" Astral interrupts Snoke's crescendoing melodrama. She's heard enough, and from the look on Luke's face, he has as well. "My Lord, if may—"
"Yesssssss?" Snoke turns to her as he draws out the word for maximum evildoer effect. It's almost corny to Astral who knows better, but one glance at Luke Skywalker tells her he's buying this Dark Side intimidation routine completely. And that's precisely the problem.
So Astral speaks up. "My Lord, since we are all family, perhaps we can dispense with the . . . er . . . " She searches for the right word choice, settling on, "scare tactics."
And was that too bold? Indignant Snoke blinks. "What scare tactics?"
Luke immediately yelps, "I'm not afraid!"
To which, Snoke purrs, "You will be . . . you will be . . . " with both a pointed tone and a pointed finger.
"That!" Astral calls out her father-in-law-in-the-Force. "Stop that! You're scaring him!"
"I'm not scared!"
"You look petrified," Astral retorts to Luke. She looks up at Darth Plagueis with consternation. "Stop scaring him. His father already did that. It didn't help."
"I'm just being myself," the miffed Muun intones with more spooky baritone. "I can't help it if I'm naturally intimidating—"
"Oh, stop!" she complains. "Stop playacting as the ultimate Sith Master and be normal."
"But my dear, I am the ultimate Sith Master," Snoke grins, finally breaking character from his posturing. "Astral, this is how it's done. The young innocent is lured to the wise and weary old man's lair for the big pitch. Since time in memoriam this is how it unfolds. And I'm old school."
Snoke looks around now. "As it is, this is sort of a shabby setting. It ought to at least be a castle or a temple. Normally, you don't form a conspiracy to steal the galaxy and remake the Force next to a rundown ship on a backwater world. It's not sufficiently evocative," he sniffs.
"But I thought we were breaking with all that tradition," Astral contends. "You are ending the Jedi and the Sith religions, right?"
"Well, yes. But these things must be done properly," Darth Plagueis harrumphs. "Now then, let us resume." Again, he starts in with the slow voiced scare tactics. "Such Force you have, young Skywalker. Like your father. Remarkable . . . simply remarkable. Sheev will be lusting to flip you Sith once he senses your pow-ah—"
Astral sighs. "Snoke—"
"Oh, alright. You're here to ruin all my fun, aren't you?" the giant Muun pouts. It's almost comical with his ruined features. "Stop stealing my gravitas," he eyes her with resentment. "Vader at least got to swing a sword with him. What do I get? Just this moment. This was my big entrance and you ruined it. I didn't even get to promise him unlimited power."
"But you're scaring him—"
"Oh, pshaw! He's made of sterner stuff. Aren't you, boy?"
Luke eyes his grandfather and decides, "You're actually not as scary as Darth Vader."
It's a terse diss. Those are fighting words for Darth Plagueis. "Is that so?" Stung, Snoke now shoots blue lightning from his right hand. Luke narrowly dodges the attack, diving to the ground. "I'll show you scary—"
"Stop!" Astral screeches as she watches Snoke lift both his hands to fire again.
Luke jumps to his feet and lights his sword in response.
"You stop too!" Astral hisses at her stepson as she rushes to stand between the two combatants. This is going downhill fast. She tries to salvage things. "Stop it, both of you! Turn that sword off!"
"Green," Plagueis eyes Luke's still-lit weapon with disdain. "Interesting choice."
"It will kill you no matter what color it is," Luke fires back.
"Actually, it won't," Snoke smirks.
"No one is killing anyone!" Astral huffs. "You," she orders to Snoke, "no more lightning. And you," she commands to Luke, "put that sword away. We are family and we need to get along! We are allies. The real enemy is the Emperor."
"Are you this sassy to Lord Vader?" Snoke wonders aloud. "I'm going to start calling you Darth Astral from now on." But he lowers his hands, she notices with relief.
Astral composes herself and lowers her voice. She got a little screechy there for a moment. "Please, my Lord, don't squander this chance. You may not get another."
"Oh, very well," Snoke relents, calling over to his wary grandson who still brandishes his sword, "Welcome to the family, Luke."
"Are things always like this?" the young man asks as he belatedly and begrudgingly deactivates his weapon.
"No," Astral answers firmly.
Just as Snoke cheerfully admits, "Yes."
She glares at him and corrects, "No."
Snoke shrugs and volunteers for Luke's benefit, "She's correct. It's usually more tense when your father is in attendance. Right, Darth Astral?"
"Er . . . perhaps."
"You're nothing like Darth Vader," Luke announces.
Snoke laughs. He actually laughs. "I'll take that as a compliment. I'm much more fun. He's always grouchy."
Luke looks to her and Astral confirms awkwardly, "It's true."
"My son is—shall we say—intense." Snoke explains to Luke, "That's code for high strung even by Sith standards."
"He's under a lot of stress lately, that's all," Astral grumbles loyally.
"Stop making excuses for him. The man has the emotional stability of a teenaged girl. He's sullen and petulant and easily hurt. You'd think a Sith Lord would have a thicker skin than he does. Vader stomps around choking people and tossing off shade all day like some holonet troll come to life. He makes Sheev look fun by comparison."
Luke Skywalker looks a bit sullen and petulant himself right now. But mostly, he looks exasperated. "You're not even human," he blurts out at Snoke. "How could you possibly be my grandfather?"
"All things are possible in the Force," Darth Plagueis replies with maximum reverence and condescension.
"Oh, stop," Astral calls him out before he can begin his preening Sith Master schtick again. "Just tell Luke where he came from." There's no need for all this posturing.
"Fine. I conjured your father in the Force."
"You what?" Luke chokes.
"It was a masterful bit of Sith sorcery," Snoke brags. "Lord Vader is not my biological child, but he is my creation nonetheless."
"How?" dumbfounded Luke wonders. "How is that possible?"
"I spent many years studying midichlorians. They are the essence of the Force, but they are not the whole mystery. Midichlorians are at best an approximation, more like a reflection of potential than they are a true causation. The Jedi put far too much faith in them, in my opinion. But I digress . . . " Snoke ceases his musings and gets to the point. "After many decades of research, I learned their secrets. I alone know how to extend life, how to create life anew, and how to resurrect it once lost. All through the power of the Force."
Luke looks impressed and intimidated.
Astral sort of feels that way too.
"I have the power of a God," Snoke crows, "because through the Force and through my knowledge, all things are possible." He shoots his grandson a sly look. "Why waste your time moving rocks when you could be learning my secrets?"
Luke has no answer to that question.
Snoke cocks his head now as he asks, "Tell me, what did Master Yoda and Master Kenobi tell you about your father?"
Luke looks confused and uncertain now. Clearly, the boy is unhappy with the lies he has been fed. "Obi-Wan said that Darth Vader betrayed and murdered my father."
"Such a bold lie that was," Snoke smirks. "One wonders how the Jedi thought to get away with such a tale. Did Kenobi explain why Darth Vader wears his mask and suit?"
"No."
"I thought not. Kenobi did that to your father. The Jedi cut him to pieces and watched him burn alive. He did not have the good grace to finish him off. Instead, he walked away and left him to die. That is the mercy Kenobi showed his star student who was like a little brother to him."
Luke looks to her and Astral nods to confirm Snoke's version.
"Why did Kenobi refuse him the coup de gras? Do you know? It was because Kenobi was afraid to kill your father! All along, the Jedi have been terrified of your father." Snoke pauses a moment to let that assertion sink in.
"Did Master Yoda tell you that he opposed training your father as a Jedi? Did you know that Yoda advocated that your father be sent back to Tatooine, presumably back into slavery? It was only Anakin Skywalker's remarkable public heroism that forced the Jedi Council to relent. Their stated objection was your father's advanced age of ten years old. He was too old to train, or so they claimed."
"Too old at ten?" Luke is confused.
"Yes. And yet, you yourself are not too old to train now," Snoke points out. "Why the inconsistency? Because age was a pretext all along. Even as a boy, your father had an impressive connection to the Force. The Jedi Council saw this and they feared it. They knew Anakin Skywalker would one day grow to eclipse them all. They knew they would not be able to control him like they did the others. Oh . . . they did their best to instill their discipline and dogma, but to no avail. Anakin Skywalker was a child of the Force and not your ordinary Padawan."
Luke has no rejoinder. He just looks increasingly uncomfortable. Like he doesn't want to hear this, but he fears not hearing it.
"Why were the Jedi terrified of your father? Why are they desperate to lure you to their side now? Willing to tell any number of lies to keep you there? I'll tell you why," Snoke purrs, "power. Your father is the son of the Force. A mortal man born of a human woman but made of the magic that binds the universe together. Listen carefully so you understand: Anakin Skywalker is both Light and Dark, like the Force that sired him. He could never cut it as a Jedi and he's not a real Sith. He's too full of inner conflict to adhere to either religion faithfully. His fall from grace was inevitable." Darth Plagueis holds his grandson's eyes steadily. "You might say it was intentional. Anakin Skywalker was born to disappoint all his Masters."
"Vader is both Jedi and Sith?" Luke whispers in confusion.
Astral takes the opportunity to repeat her assertion from earlier. "Luke, there is good in him still."
"Absolutely," Snoke concurs. "When your father tried to live as a pure Jedi, the Darkness rose in him. But now, the Darker he becomes, the stronger his Light Side asserts itself. It makes him very, very special. For in your father is a microcosm of the unending drama of the universe. It's the ever shifting, self-correcting algo rhythm of life. Vader is the moral dilemma within all of us. He's the angel and the devil combined. And that," Snoke concludes, "is why he is the Chosen One destined to bring balance to the Force."
Bewildered Luke says nothing. He just looks first to Astral and then to Snoke. The boy doesn't look like he is following any of this.
It prompts Snoke to complain, "You do not know the prophecy of the Chosen One? Has Master Yoda omitted that information too?" Snoke throws up his hands in exasperation. "Truly, you have been deceived, Luke Skywalker. Ask Master Yoda about it when you return. Let's see how he explains this one."
"I've never heard of the Chosen One," Luke mumbles miserably.
"It's a prophecy as old as the Jedi Order. It promises that there will come a Jedi who will bring balance to the Force. Listen well, Luke. Learn this simple truth: the Light Side and the Dark Side are both eternal. They will forever coexist. The Sith cannot defeat hope and compassion any more than the Jedi can conquer aggression and fear. What does that mean? It means the ongoing war between the two religions is pointless. The only way to win is to destroy the Force itself—to wipe out all life in the universe. Where is the victory in that sort of nihilism?"
Astral watches as her Jedi stepson blinks. No doubt this is heresy to his young, impressionable ears.
"The balance between the Light and the Dark shifts over time and it tends to cycle. But there is always some form of rough balance to the universe. If ever the Force tips too far to one side, it rights itself the opposite direction. When the Dark gets too aggressive, the Light grows stronger to compensate. But when the Light reigns too long, Darkness rises. Extreme measures—like the Death Star—can even provoke the Force to shift abruptly."
"I don't understand," Luke stammers. "You're on the Dark Side but you don't want to destroy the Light?"
"That is correct." Snoke crosses his arms and looks down his nose at his skeptical grandson. "Are you surprised that a Sith Master can value the Light? I may surprise you with my knowledge of the Light. I know all about the Living Force and the Cosmic Force. I can quote you Jedi chapter and verse on many topics. Some of which, the Jedi got right. Others which they did not."
"If what you say is true, then my father was supposed to bring balance to the Force. Not lead it into Darkness."
"He is bringing balance to the Force."
"By hunting Jedi?" Luke accuses.
"Yes. The Purge was a necessary first step. The Jedi weren't going to reform. They would never have surrendered their power and influence. The only way to move past them was to wipe them out and to topple the Republic they revered. Now, we are down to a handful of Sith and a couple of remaining Jedi. But really, the only ones left who matter are our family, Lord Sidious, and Yoda. That's a lot closer to balancing the Force than a generation ago when there were ten thousand Jedi Knights with temples organized across the galaxy all preaching an unattainable version of pure Light."
"Vader betrayed his friends—"
"-who would have killed him in time. Make no mistake," Darth Plagueis argues softly, "the Jedi Council would not have tolerated your father much longer. They knew where he was heading."
Luke Skywalker's face is a thundercloud as he retorts, "Vader massacred younglings! He went on a killing spree for over a decade!"
The old school Sith Darth Plagueis doesn't bother with excuses for that behavior. Instead, he argues, "It takes a man schooled in both the Dark and the Light to balance the Force. Your father needed to experience each extreme religion before he could understand the need for a middle ground. Some truths need to be lived to be learned."
But the young Jedi isn't buying it. "You're wrong! Vader didn't kill Jedi for balance, he killed them to solidify his power . . . as a Sith."
Ever the pragmatic Dark Sider, Snoke merely shrugs. "Does it matter? It was time for the Jedi to end."
That statement provokes an indignant glower from his grandson.
But Snoke is undeterred. He looks Luke over thoughtfully. "Not everyone remembers the Jedi Order as fondly as Masters Kenobi and Yoda do. For when the Jedi were at the height of their power, they meddled ceaselessly in everything. In the military, in commerce, and in government. They called themselves 'Keepers of the Peace,' but all they really did was intervene to choose their preferred winner for every conflict. From trade routes, to taxes, to treaties, to elections, the Jedi had to have their say. They were constantly embroiled in turf battles because they disdained the courts and the Senate. They preferred to handle matters themselves. The problem was that the Senate and the courts were the backbone of the Republic. Over the years, the actions of the Jedi Order served to weaken them both. And so, at the crucial moment when the galaxy needed strong, unified leadership, its institutions failed to resolve the Separatist Crisis. The ensuing war destroyed much of the galaxy for years."
Luke makes no rebuttal, so Snoke continues his history lesson.
"The last straw came when the Jedi Council attempted to assassinate the Supreme Chancellor. Yes, Sheev was a Sith Lord. But Sheev was still the duly elected Senate Chancellor and the senior Senator from Naboo. The Jedi had no lawful grounds to ambush him and attempt his murder. There was not an investigation, let alone a trial, before the Jedi Council showed up at his office to kill him. In the eyes of many, it was a blatant coup attempt. When all the dust settled, no one spoke in defense of the Jedi. Over the years, the Jedi had earned many enemies and they were increasingly blamed for the Clone Wars. By that time, the galaxy at large was glad to see them go. No one wants them back. We moved past them long ago."
"You yourself said the Light is eternal," Luke counters.
"Yes, but do not conflate the Light with the Jedi religion. To say that if the Jedi die, the Light dies, is hubris." Snoke now urges, "Luke, let the past die. Don't let yourself be manipulated into recapturing the glory of a failed institution that was hardly the tool of democracy your mentors would have you believe."
"And the Sith?" bristling Luke challenges.
"It's time for them to end as well. That's where you and your father come in. With his insider access and your growing power, together you can depose the Emperor. My old Apprentice is the last real Sith left. Your father is far too conflicted to be a proper Dark Lord."
"Then what is he?"
Snoke thinks a moment. "Think of him as Dark with boundaries."
"Whaaat?"
"Your father has limits. Sidious does not."
"And you?"
"Let's just say that I have evolved. I see the limits of the Sith religion. I no longer esteem Darkness as supreme. I have moved on."
Astral watches Luke shoot Snoke a knowing look. "You mean you want to balance the Force to rule the Light and the Dark now? Because the Dark Side alone is no longer good enough?" Luke is astute enough to know that this is a power play on multiple levels.
His observation makes Snoke grin. "That's one way of viewing it," he concedes wryly. "Your father and I have our differences, but we share a common view of the Force. We have taken different paths to get here, but we have arrived at the same place. We want to end the Jedi and to end the Sith. To usher in a new era of enlightenment and understanding. To bring peace to the galaxy and to the Force."
"So once again, Vader is supposed to betray someone who trusts him?" Luke jeers. "Only this time, it's his Sith Master, not his Jedi Master?"
Darth Plagueis is untroubled by the mutiny he plots. "It is a time-honored strategy for the Apprentice to supplant his Master. It's hardly cheating. 'Kill and ascend' has been the way of the Sith for a thousand generations. So don't feel too bad for Sheev Palpatine. He has it coming. The difference is that this time, the Apprentice will not renew the Sith. He will end them."
"How? How, if Darkness will always endure?"
"Balance," Snoke answers. "The Sith know that balance will come. Your father was foretold in their tradition as well. Anakin Skywalker is the Sith'ari of ancient Dark lore, the prophet Lord who will destroy the Sith and yet make them more powerful than ever . . . through balance. So you see, your father is rather terrifying. He's the walking, talking apocalypse of the Force that both sides fear. That's why Kenobi wouldn't risk killing him. It's why Sheev Palpatine is up late at night worrying that his own days are numbered. He deludes himself that your father's powers are diminished from his injuries and that will keep him safe." Darth Plagueis flashes a sly grin. "It won't. Darth Sidious will be the last of his kind now that Team Skywalker has assembled."
Snoke goes on the attack now. "In fact, things were proceeding just fine until you showed up to slay Darth Vader. Here you are a Jedi wannabe attempting to insert yourself against the will of the Force. Don't you dare light a sword again to harm your father—"
Luke sputters, "I didn't know that he was my father—"
"You should have! Go back and ask Master Yoda why he sent you a lamb to the slaughter, unaware and half-trained, to meet your father. Tell me, what would have happened on Bespin had Lord Vader not already discovered who you are? You would have been lucky to lose merely a hand and not your head! What teacher does that to his student?"
"I'm sure Master Yoda had his reasons," the boy grumbles loyally.
"Oh, he has his reasons," Snoke snaps. "If you believe nothing else I tell you today, believe this: you are a pawn of the Jedi Order's revenge against your father. The Jedi are using you for their own goals. Be careful, boy, because my old pupil will do the same."
Luke looks up sharply and Snoke purrs, "Yessss . . . it is you and your abilities the Emperor wants. Darth Sidious would gladly sacrifice your father and let you take Vader's place at his side. It gets rid of his Chosen One nemesis and it upgrades him to a younger, more malleable Apprentice. Mark my words, Sidious will nurture the conflict between you and your father and use it for his own ends. Do not trust the Emperor any more than you trust the Jedi. We are the only people you can trust. Astral, myself, and your father—we are the only ones who have your best interest at heart."
Luke recoils. "I'll never join you!"
"Then, get out of the way!" Snoke roars. "Do not persist in this Jedi crusade! It puts you in opposition to your family and it places you on the wrong side of history. Balance is the ultimate goal of the Force. Seek balance, Luke Skywalker, not the Light."
"I'll never turn to the Dark Side!"
"Yes, that's the point," Snoke answers back with exasperation. "We will be neither Dark nor Light, but somewhere in the middle. Truly, it is unnatural what the Jedi ask of a man. Emotion is a strength, not a weakness. You should embrace your desires and seek what fulfills you. To do otherwise is to rush headlong into misery. The life of a Jedi is a life of denial, frustration, and loneliness. Ask your father how much fun it was."
"It is a life of service to others," his stubborn grandson counters.
Snoke brushes this platitude aside. "You may serve others when you rule the galaxy with your father. Leadership is the ultimate in public service, is it not? Darth Vader makes a meaningful contribution to history. Do you not wish to do the same?"
"Not with him. And not on the Dark Side," Luke disavows.
Snokes grunts and peers at his grandson. "Have you been taught to fear the Dark Side, boy?"
The young Jedi shifts his stance and shifts his eyes. "Yes," he admits.
"Have you ever wondered why?"
"It is for my own good. To protect me."
"That's Yoda talking. It is to control you. To limit your power. The Jedi adhere to simplistic dichotomies—to Dark versus Light, good versus evil, and Jedi versus Sith. Trust me, the great mystery of the Force and the problems of the galaxy are not so easily summarized." Snoke observes ominously, "You in particular will find it hard to walk the path of a traditional Jedi. There is too much of your father in you."
Again, Luke looks up sharply. Angrily.
"Yessss . . . there it is. I see it. Yoda surely sees it too. You're just like your father. There's much fear in you."
Poor Luke looks horrified, Astral sees.
"Forget all those Jedi rules," Snoke decrees. "You should study the Force in all its glory and from all its angles. Without limitations or restrictions. You should connect with the Force as feels most natural to you. Sometimes, that will be through emotion. Sometimes, that will be through calm. The strength and depth of the connection are what matters, not how you achieve it. Luke, you will take the best of the Jedi and Sith traditions and transcend them both. But you will need to unlearn some of what you have been taught." Snoke amends himself now, "Perhaps much of what you have been taught."
The boy is especially wary now, Astral sees. "Obi-Wan warned that this is a dangerous time for me. That I will be tempted by the Dark Side of the Force."
Snoke dismisses this fearmongering. "You are a bright boy with great talent. It is only natural that you are curious. That you seek knowledge." He frowns now as he warns, "Beware of any perspective on the Force that clings to its orthodoxy. Truth ought to withstand scrutiny. Even at times, to welcome it. Had the Jedi Order been less rigid in its point of view and had it interfered less in politics, it might have survived. But now, the Jedi are all but extinct."
"That was Vader's doing." As always, Luke seeks to assign blame to his father. It's a reflexive gesture that has Astral feeling discouraged for a reconciliation.
But his grandfather keeps engaging him point for point. Lord Plagueis drawls, "Do you truly believe that Lord Sidious and Dooku brought down a thousand-year-old galactic democracy completely on their own? That there was no popular will of the people in support of the Empire? We Sith are good, but we are not that good. More appropriately put, we are opportunistic. We look for opportunities to exploit."
"I am one of those opportunities, aren't I?" Luke Skywalker gives Snoke a cool look. This young man says little, but what he does say is insightful, Astral has noticed.
Snoke merely smiles. "No, you are family."
Luke looks to her and Astral nods her fervent agreement. She might not have standing to argue about the Force, but she's got standing to argue for their family.
Even Snoke seems to be getting frustrated with this discussion. It's gone on too long with too little progress. "Why choose this course?" he complains. "What are you hoping to achieve by becoming a Jedi?"
Luke thinks a long moment before he answers. "I want to bring peace, freedom, justice, and security to the galaxy." He looks a bit sheepish as soon as these grand words leave his mouth. But Astral can't help but think that red faced Luke sounds like his father. Ambition is a hallmark of a Skywalker, after all. Just like the Force.
Snoke challenges him quietly, "Why do you need to be Jedi in order to do that?"
The question appears to the stump Luke.
The towering Muun resumes his pitch now. "You can play the young reformer role in the Empire, if you wish. You have standing with your Rebellion background. Consider what you could do if you worked from within the system rather than attacking it. You see yourself as a freedom fighter, but to many you currently are a terrorist. Luke," he pauses, "you could be so much more than that. You could be a leader."
The boy disagrees. "The Empire will not tolerate dissent, let alone change."
"Not currently," Snoke allows, "but under your father's leadership, it would."
"Vader would never—"
"Lord Vader," Snoke overrides him, "wants change more than anyone. He's been living under Darth Sidious' thumb for over twenty years. He might be more of a Rebel than you are," Snoke observes dryly.
Then, he steps back. "My boy, I have lectured you by speaking at such length. We have covered a lot today. Think on what you have heard. Consider this opportunity." The battered Muun reaches to pull up his hood to cover his face. He beckons to Astral. "I leave you now. I cannot linger long even on a world such as this."
Are they done? Astral tentatively approaches Luke. "Goodbye," she murmurs. "Good luck rescuing your friend."
The young man looks troubled and upset as he nods.
Do they shake hands? Do they hug? This kid looks like he really needs a hug. But like last time, Astral settles on a blessing. "May the Force be with you," she mumbles a little awkwardly.
"Come, Astral," Snoke prods. "This isn't safe for you either. You can't be seen with me or you're a dead woman."
It's true. Astral nods, "I know. I'm coming."
Old Snoke's hooded but keen eyes linger one last moment on Luke Skywalker. "Together, our family could do great things. With my power, with your father's grit, and with your ideals, we could change everything for the better. Astral here will do her part to keep us all in line. But first," Snoke points a gnarled finger at his grandson, "you need to dream bigger than just your revolution to restore the past."
Snoke turns and begins his slow limp towards the shuttle ramp. But Astral lingers at Luke's side. She doesn't want to leave without giving him some way to contact her. Otherwise, there will be no way to resume this conversation. She starts fumbling in her pocket for her comlink.
"What do I do now?" Luke speaks his confusion aloud.
Snoke halts his progress and half turns. "Go back to Master Yoda. Ask for his version of events."
Astral watches as Luke gulps. He doesn't look anxious to confront his Jedi mentor about any of this.
"You must do what you feel is right, of course," Snoke counsels gently as he resumes his lumbering. "Come, Astral. Do not tarry."
She heads for the ramp now, offering Snoke her arm to lean on.
Behind them, young Luke calls out. "Wait!"
Snoke doesn't stop. His grip on her arm tightens. It's his signal to keep walking.
"Wait!" Luke persists.
Snoke catches her eye and Astral could swear he winks at her before turning back to face his grandson. "Yessss?"
"Where are you going?"
"To find your twin sister," Snoke drops a bombshell.
The boy looks at them both blankly. "But I have no sister."
"You do. She lives . . . I hope."
"You hope? Who is she? Where is she?"
This time, Astral answers. "We don't know. I'm sorry. There's nothing more to tell you." She gives Luke a sympathetic look. He looks utterly disillusioned now. His family isn't who he thought they were. His Jedi mentors are not as pure hearted as he believed. And the path he has chosen for his future is very complicated and potentially wrong. This boy thought he was the solution. But now, he is being told that he is part of the problem.
"I have a twin sister?" Luke looks as frustrated as he looks incredulous.
"Ask Master Yoda about her too," Snoke gripes. "I believe he and Kenobi were the ones to hide her."
"Yoda knows?" Luke asks weakly.
"Yes. Go home, boy. The Jedi know everything you seek to know. Ask them yourself." Darth Plagueis looks especially grim now. "Accept nothing less than the complete truth. You deserve the truth. Here." Snoke reaches into his sleeve to retrieve a comlink. He tosses it to Luke Skywalker. "If he tells you where she is, contact me. When you are done rescuing your friend from the Hutt, we can go rescue her. Sidious will kill your sister if he finds her first."
The young man catches the comlink and pockets it. Then, he looks away. Luke Skywalker doesn't seem to know what he wants. And that's understandable given the circumstances.
